Players tanking matches!!

[Justdoit10]

It was a dismal performance from both players. I don't care how seriously people took the match. There wasn't an excuse for the loss. There's a reason Murray was only 1 of 2 people to beat Federer that year.

As I said, Murray had played more tennis than Federer in the lead up to that math. If anyone was going to have fatigue as an excuse, it was Murray.

Federer was playing his 8th match in 9 days. 4 of which were 3 setters. Murray played good but Federer was exactly playing his heart out. That match meant a lot more to Murray than it did for Federer who just quietly strolled to the US open title later that month.

 

[Clydey2times]

Federer was playing his 8th match in 9 days. 4 of which were 3 setters. Murray played good but Federer was exactly playing his heart out. That match meant a lot more to Murray than it did for Federer who just quietly strolled to the US open title later that month.

Murray played 11 matches in 14 days, on top of all tennis he had played prior to that. Toronto was Fed's first tournament back since Wimbledon. I'm not buying for a second that Fed was gassed after one Masters event. Murray, on the other hand, had played 2 or 3 tournaments after Wimbledon in the lead up to the match at Cinci. Added to that, Murray was nowhere near as fit as Federer back in 2006. Therefore, fatigue was Murray's excuse, if anything.

They both played crap. Murray got broken like 5 times and Federer got broken 7 times.

 

[SLD76]

As Joeri put it, they might decide to not try as hard as they would normally.

as I said, we will use the term "phone it in".

So, while I think players actually tank not that much, I do believe alot of players "phone it in" quite alot. You can phone a match in and still win.

 

[raiden031]

Tanking is when you intentionally throw a match (or in some cases like USTA leagues throwing games or sets in order to make the match appear closer than it really should be).

If Fed doesn't fully prepare himself for a small tournament, or if he chooses a match strategy that he knows does not give him the best chance of winning, then this is not equivalent to tanking. Its basically just playing his best within certain constraints. If he wants to practice S&V and loses because of it, its not because he wanted to lose, but because he felt that working on some component of his game at that time was more important than winning the tournament.

 

[joeri888]

Murray had played more matches than Federer in the lead up to that match, so that excuse really doesn't add up. Murray was more fatigued and was, at that time, nowhere near as fit as Federer.

It wasn't an excuse, since I couldn't care less about that match, Federer won everything in sight that year. The point wasn't even what they played up till then. It was that Federer played 97 matches that year.
Anyway, then let me rephrase it: I just don't care about that match, cause the best Federer clearly didn't show up, since he was 3 levels above Andy Murray back then. While Federer was superconsistent that year, and only lost to Nadal, he had that unexplainable match against Murray. The fact that he went on to win the USO and not lose another match that year, tells me I don't have to worry too much about that match.


On topic: I guess I started another definition. I wasn't trying to make a new definition of tanking by including 'phoning it in'. I just think that this is what happens, and that real tanking doesn't happen.

 

[Anaconda]

Of course he did. Whatever helps you sleep at night.

I'm not one of those Feddie fans!

 

[Buckethead]

Fed VS Del Po US Open,was not tanked,that one was taken from him,in the best possible style,outplaying him,out hitting him.That's all.

 

[djokovicgonzalez2010]

^^^ Ehh.... it was borderline tank at best

 

[abmk]

Those who think fed tanked vs del potro at the USO are plain delusional.

Ditto for the tsonga montreal match .....

 

[Justdoit10]

^^^ Ehh.... it was borderline tank at best

It wasnt a tank but Federer played some terrible tennis and let Del Potro get back in to the match when he was on his way to a massive 2-0 set lead.

 

[CzechM8]

I think people are using the word 'tanking' too casually. Tanking by definition means to make NO effort ( or little effort) to win a game and even intentionally lose. It DOES NOT MEAN not trying your hardest. Otherwise every player would be a tanker. There is no player who has always given 100%.

Exactly. People talking about players tanking matches mostly confuse actual tanking (i.e. intentionally not playing at least up to your standard) with just a bad day at the office. We keep forgetting that some of the top players can play a dozen matches in three weeks or so, plus practice and train in between. There's no way any one can perform at their top level all the time.

 

[LameTennisPlayer]

marcelo rios would tank matches ocassionally his coach admitted it

 

[raspell38120]

I watched Agassi tank a 1st round match to his buddy Luke Jenson, hard to tank to him. he served every first serve in a box 6 inches below the top of the net. He had lost to Pete in San Jose the week before and Pete was at the tournament and he didn't want to be there. Came back to memphis the next year because he felt guilty and drew an unknown in the first round and lost again. Three months later everyone knew the unknown at the French Open, Gustavo Kuertan.

also, I am aware of a Top 5 all time player who lives off reputation that in a Senior event went to his opponent in the final of this event and asked him to throw the match as this player needed it and he'd make it right with him. This player is incredibly well known and loved.

 

[illkhiboy]

That is not tanking. No one defines tanking that way, other than you. It's a ridiculous. You cannot tank a match or a tournament and still win it. By definition, it is impossible.

If Federer beats, say, Djokovic in the sem-finals of a 250 tournament, no one in their right mind would say that he tanked the match. It makes no sense. You cannot win a match and then be accused of tanking the match. How can you fail to see how stupid that sounds?

LMAO this is so funny, I absolutely agree with you. WTF is this guy smoking?

 

[SLD76]

Did you read the thread?

Didnt I say that my context of the word 'tank' means, to 'phone it in'

not give 100%, go thru the motions, whatever u want to call it?

The reading comprehension here is staggering.

 

[aldeayeah]

I don't know if it could be called tanking, but in the 2008 FO final, around 0-3 in the third set, Federer went AWOL.